Transparent Nano Thin-Film Transistors for Medical Sensors, OLED and Display Applications

BACKGROUND: Transparent thin-film transistors (TFTs) have received a great deal of attention for medical sensors, OLED and medical display applications. Moreover, ultrathin nanomaterial layers are favored due to their more compact design architectures. METHODS: Here, transparent TFTs are proposed and were investigated under different stress conditions such as temperature and biases. RESULTS: Key electrical characteristics of the sensors, such as threshold voltage changes, illustrate their linear dependence on temperature with a suitable recovery, suggesting the potential of the devices to serve as medical temperature sensors. The temperature conditions changed in the range of 28°C to 40°C, which is within the standard human temperature testing range. The thickness of the indium-gallium-zinc oxide semiconductor layer was as thin as only 5–6 nm, deposited by mature radio-frequency sputtering which also showed good repeatability. Optimal bending durability caused by mechanical deformation was demonstrated via suitable electrical properties after up to 600 bending cycles, and by testing the flexible device at a different bending radii ranging from 48 mm to 18 mm. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study suggests that the present transparent nano TFTs are promising candidates for medical sensors, OLED and displays which require transparency and stability.